Welcome back to InFlight. This month we're talking about changes in pricing in regards to airfare, hotel and car rates. When preparing for 2016, how will these prices affect your travel budget? We take a close look at award programs and a deeper dive into travel policy updates.

Deadlines are closing in, so be sure to update your passport and select the award system that benefits you. For more information, read below and as always - contact us with any questions.

We continue to add new tools to our website. Please visit often to get the most up-to-date information to help you manage your travel program effectively and efficiently.

As we approach the end of the year, we know many of you are looking at 2016 budgets and preparing for next year. What can you expect next year for airfare, hotel and car rates? We have pulled together data from reports released by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) and Business Travel News (BTN) in order to give you an idea of what to expect next year and budget accordingly.

Dividend Miles No Longer Accepted by American Airlines After January 1st

As a part of the American Airlines/ US Airways merger, American will no longer accept US Airways Dividend Miles starting on January 1, 2016. American Airlines is urging all customers to use their AAdvantage number when booking travel, as this will be the only acceptable awards program after the first of the year. If you are not sure how to locate this number, a MacNair agent can assist you. Customers will still earn miles automatically for reservations booked by December 31, 2015 with a Dividend Miles number. Travelers who know their old Dividend Miles but not their AAdvantage number can find it by logging in with their Dividend Miles number here -https://www.aa.com/loyalty/login/submit. When the Dividend Miles number, password, and last name are correctly entered, the new AAdvantage number will be displayed. Please update your MacNair profile with that number.

US State Department to Stop Adding Additional Pages Starting January 1, 2016

On November 19th, the U.S. State Department announced that it will no longer add pages to passports beginning January 1, 2016. We strongly encourage travelers with passports they expect to fill with visas or entry stamps to request additional pages through CIBT as soon as possible. With the additional pages deadline approaching and the busy holiday travel season here, you should start your request today. CIBT can get help you add new pages in as little as a day. The government fees for additional pages are less than a renewal and all your visas will remain in one passport book. We will continue to provide updates on the renewal process as we learn them in the coming months.

From The Travel Leadership Blog

Great service…it can make or break your business. I’m sure we’ve all experienced poor customer service – and it usually leaves us feeling frustrated, unsatisfied and just plain tired. But a positive customer service experience?!? You tell your friends, you post it on social media, and most importantly you visit that business again.

New technology is all around us – in our vehicles, our homes and especially through our smartphones and tablets. A quick Google search finds that in 2014, more than 128,000 new business apps were released in the iOS app store (appfigures). It’s incredible and great news for those in the travel industry. At MacNair Travel Management, we pride ourselves in using the latest tools, technology and people, to help our clients balance the needs of the traveler and of the business, ensuring costs are minimized and performance is optimized. As new travel apps become available, we assess and check their usability and then pass along the most efficient and user-friendly options to our customers.